Adjustable golf club



Feb. 19, 1629. 1,702,916

J. A. NOV AK .ET AL ADJUSTABLE GOLF CLUB Filed Dec. 27, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 g FIE-5-4;-

A nouns Feb 19, 1929. 1,702,916

J. A. NOVAK ET AL A ADJUSTABLE GOLF CLUB Filed Dec. 2'7. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TORS Joseph A. Nanak Frank 6- Fisher 8) D 4 uromsvs Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH A. NOVAK, OF SAN FRANCISCO, AND FRANK C. FISHER, OF ALAMEDA, CALL FORNIA, ASSIGNORS T0 NOVAK CLUB CORPORATION OF NEVADA.

INC., OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A

ADJUSTABLE GOLF CLUB.

Application filed December 27, 1926. Serial No. 157,114.

This invention relates generally to golf clubs which may be adjusted to vary the loft of the striking face. g

It has previously been proposed to construct an adjustable golf club in which the blade is locked inan adjusted position by rotation of the club handle. For example, as disclosed in the application of Alphonsus Gavin, Serial No. 90,113, filed Feb. 25, 1926, and Novak and Fisher, Serial No. 102,108, filed Apr. 15, 1926, the handle may have a threaded engagement with the shank and when rotated in one direction, serve to force the member into locking engagement with the blade. For a right handed club, a left handed thread is usedso that the blade will not become loosened in striking a ball. In some instances, especially when using a wooden shaft, the friction of the threaded 0 engagement between the handle and shank is not sufficient to prevent unlocking of the 7 blade. Thus in topping or heeling a ball,

accidental rotation of the shaft with respect to the blade may occur with the result that the blade may become unlocked and detach itself from the shank.

It is an object of this invention to prevent accidental unlocking of the blade of an adjustablegolfclub while in use.

It is a further object of this invention to incorporate additional means in conjunction with the locking mechanism of a golf club to prevent accidental loosening of the blade.

Further objects of this invention will .appear from the following description in which we have set forth the preferred embodiment of our invention. It is to be understood that the invention is to be accorded a range of equivalents consistent with the state of the prior art.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 isa side elevational view of a golf club incorporating the principles of this invention, certain parts being shown in cross section.

Fig. 2 is a detail showing a plan view of the blade looking parallel to the striking face.

Fig. 3 is anend view of the blade looking at right angles to the pivotal axis of the blade.

Fig. 4 is a detail showing the manner in which the parts of the locking mechanism are assembled. V V

I Fig. 5 is .a fragmentary detail showing the rotatable sleeve for releasing the locking mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified form of adjustable golf club.

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 7 7 of Fig. 6 with the locking sleeve and shaft removed.

Fig. 8 is a Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is aside elevational detail of the looking sleeve. r

Fig. 10 is an end view of the locking sleeve shown in Fig. 9.

The invention includes generally a golf club having a blade which may be set in any one of a number of different positions to vary the loft of the striking face. The handle of the club is provided with a threaded engage ment with the shank and means is provided so that upon rotation of the handle in one direction, the blade may be fixed in any desired adjusted position. To prevent rotation of the handle in the opposite direction and.,sl,ibsequent unlocking of the blade, additional means is provided which, either by positive locking engagement or by frictional means, tends to prevent relative rotation between the handle and shank. This additional means plan view of the shank shown in is constructed so that it does not interfere with making readjustments in the blade after the club has been used in one adjusted position.

Referring first to that modification of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, there is provided a golf club including a blade 10,

pivotally secured to a shank which is divided into two portions, a lower portion 11 and an upper portion 12. To the shank portion 12 there is attached the usual shaft 18 of wood or metal. to the upper end of which is secured the usual grip or handle. One suitable form of pivotal connection for the blade consists of a projection 14 upon the heel of the blade, this projection being provided with an enlarged head 15. The lower shank portion ll is provided with a recess 17 adapted to receive the projection 14, this recess having a lower arcuate groove 18 within which the head 15 is adapted to interlock. This pivotal connection is reinforced by plane contacting faces 19 and 21 provided upon the blade and shank portions, the plane of these faces being substantially. normal to the pivotal axis 22 and parallel to the axis of the shaft. In order to have substantially constant angle of lie? for several adjusted positions of theangleof loft,

and at the same time permit the pivotal axis- 22being arranged normal to the axis oh the shaft, this axisis arranged at an angleto the:

striking face 23 as shown in Fig. 2. This arrangement has been fully explained in thecopending patent application in the 1131116 of Novak and Fisher referred to above.

12 is provided with an internally threaded portion 27 having threadedengagement with aportion28of the shank portion 11. Al lock inginember or pin 29 is slidably received? in the sl'iankportion 1'1 and is adapted tobe forced intolocking engagement with. the serrated segment 24 upon rotation of the shaft 13. In case of a right handed club a 'left handed threaded engagementis employed be.- tween the two shank portions so that when striking a ball, the force'of the impact tends to rotatethe bladeyin a direction to tight-enthe looking engagement. In case of a left hand-ed club it is of course obvious-that a right thread is employed. However; in

case of topping. or'heel'ing a ball; due to reasons which arenot clearly understood, theblade seems to be thrown forward during the stroke with the result that the threaded en} gagement is at times loosened and the blade becomes unlocked. In other words, relative rotation occurs between the two shank pore tions, .or' between the blade and the shaft of i the club,- which is in a direction'tolbosenor unlock theblad e, Z V t I I I p The additional means which weha-veprovi'de d for preventing; unlocking of the; blade during such a contingency may be any corrvenient arrangement which will tend to pre vent'rela'tive rotation between the two shank portions. [Inone suitable arrangement the" lower edgelof, the internally threaded por tion 2'? is provided with teethB-I adapted to engage teeth 32' upon the locking ring 38; 'Thl'S ring is shdably positioned upon the shank portion 11 and is spring pressed tokcep v teeth 31 and 32" in cooperative engagement, as

. by'means ofhelical spring 3%. Relative rotati'on-hetween' locking ringSS and thezslia-nki s prevented by means of a lug 36 upon the ring which slidably engages a. groove 37 in the threaded shank portion 28. The teeth 31 and 82am so shaped that when the shaft 18 is rotated relative to the blade tov lock the blade in. an adjusted p'ositionythese" teeth will ratchet togethergwhile rotation of the shaft in theopposite direction to unlock the blade will he preventedaslong as the teeth are in engagement. To disengage the locking ring v 33 to perinitunlocking'of thehlade there is provided a sleeve 38 which is rotatably and sh dably positioned upon the upper' shank portion 12; A pin 39 fixed to the shank portion 12 operates within a cam slot 41 in sleeve whereby upon rotation of thissleeve it will beshifted. longitudinally upon the shank. Rotation of theslcevc in one direction serves to force down locking ring 33 out of engageinentwith shank portion 12, while rotation in the opposite direction permits teeth 32 to ratchet upon teeth In operating this club the sleeve 38 first rotated in a direction torelcase the locking ring 38', frictionbeing -sufiicient to retain the sleeve inthis position. The handle of the shaft is, then rotated relative" to the club blafde" and the blade set to the desired angle ofiloft. Sleeve 38 is then rotated to permit ring'33 to move to ratcheting or looking position after which the shaft is rotated in the opposite direction untilthe blade is securely locked to the shank. During this time ring 33 ratchet's upon' theuppershank portion but prevents rotation oft-he shaft in a direction to" loosenthe blade until the operator again nranipulates'thesleeveSS. i

In the. golf club shown in Figs. 6 to 10 inchisive; accidental loosening of the blade isprevented by frictional means tending to prevent relative rotation between the two shank portions; A novel mechanism for lockingthe' bl ade tothe shank has also been provided' inwhich a sleeve has been substituted forthe lbcking pin 29 ofthe club described above. Thus slidably disposed upon the shank portion 111' there is asleeve 44 having an extension 46- surrounding the upper shank portion 45?. In this case the threaded portion 8-nuay be made solid and is adapted to engage the internally threadedportion 49 of the upper shank portion 47. The? ar'cu'at'esegment 51 upon the blade 10 is engaged hy the shoulders 52 formed upon the sides of the sleeve 4A and a lip 53' formed uponithe" sleeveextends in close proximity with the arcuate surfacehe of' the blade, in order to prevent entrance of dirt. The threadedportion 49 abuts a shoulder 56 providedon the sleeve .44 so that when the shaft is rotated in onexd'rrection the sleeve 4A is forced downwardly to bring shoulders 52 into locking engagement with the serrated segment 51; Instead of serrating' the segment 51 it is ohvious that the surface 5 1 may be serrated 't'o' form a locking engagement with the up 533' To prevent accidental loosening of the handle the extension 46 of sleeve 14 is provided with slots 57 so that the upper edge ofth-is' extension may resiliently press against the outersurface' of the upper shank portion 17, thus forminga frictional engagement tending to prevent relative rotation between the two shank portions. As the shank portion 47 ispreferably tapered downward 1y where it fits within the extension 46', this frictional engagement will be greatest when the shaft is rotated to a locking position.

We claim:

I 1. A golf club comprising a blade, a shank to which the blade is pivotally secured, a handle having a threaded engagement with the shank, means for locking the blade to the shank upon rotation of the handle in one direction, and additional means for preventing accidental unlocking of the blade.

1 2. A golf club comprising a blade, a shank to which the blade is pivotally secured, a handle having a threaded engagement with the shank, means for locking the blade to the shank upon rotation of the handle in one direction, and additional means for preventing accidental rotation of the handle in the opposite direction when the club is in use.

3. A golf club comprising a blade, a shank to which the blade is pivotally secured, a

handle having a threaded engagement with the shank, means for locking the blade to the shank upon rotation of the handle in one tional engagement of relatively movable parts of the club for preventing accidental rotation. of the handle in the opposite direcsaid locking means while making adjust ments of the blade.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands.

JOSEPH A. NOVAK. FRANK C. FISHER.

direction, and means in addition to the fric- 

